Supermarket offers 'should concentrate on healthier options'

Supermarkets should offer more of their price promotions on healthy food to assist in the war on obesity, according to a leading consumer group.

A Which? study of 77,165 promotions across major UK stores found 53 per cent of them were put on less healthy products, with confectionery more likely to be on special offer than fresh fruit and vegetables.

Researchers categorised products with a red "traffic light" label for fat, saturates, sugars or salt as less healthy and counted fresh, unprocessed fruit and vegetables as healthier.

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The study, between April and June, covered deals found in six leading retailers: Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose. It found 52 per cent of confectionery was on special offer, compared to 30 per cent of fresh fruit and 34 per cent of vegetables.

In addition, 69 per cent of soft drinks that would fall under the higher sugar band category were on special offer.

The supermarkets' trade body, the British Retail Consortium, said a balanced diet has "never been easier or more affordable".

A spokesman for Sainsbury's added: "Since 2014, we have been working hard to remove promotions and invest money in regular lower prices. In doing so, we have made hundreds of fresh and healthy products affordable all of the time and our fresh produce sales are growing as a result."

But Alex Neill, the director of campaigns and policy at Which?, said: "Everybody has to play their part in the fight against obesity", adding that it was "time for supermarkets to shift the balance of products they include in price promotions".